After a sell-out show in Nelson last year, the Hot Potato Band returns to the Theatre Royal with a show that’ll have you smiling, off your feet and feeling good!
The larger-than-life brass collective is a breath of fresh air, setting new heights for energetic and interactive musical performances. Finding home in Sydney, Australia, their positive coastal energy pushes euphoric boundaries in their bold quest to reignite acoustic instrumentation. HPB is un-bound by genres, stages and audiences. They have reinvented the traditional brass band as a modern day dance machine and visual spectacle to complement their strong sense of pride for their fun-loving, organic, and quirky musical nature.
Please note, this show is General Admission and the seats will be removed from the flat section of the stalls (downstairs) to make room for dancing. This means that not everyone will have a seat.
When Riverdance featured as the halftime act at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, Irish dancing and Irish music enjoyed a rise in popularity. Michael Flatley's full version of Riverdance and the equally popular Lord of the Dance became international sensations and Celtic music was accessed by millions.
Tonight NBS Nelson City Brass bring you not only the music of these wonderful shows, but beautiful Celtic melodies performed by some of the finest brass soloists in the country.
Whether you're a fan of 'Myfanwy', 'Blue Bells of Scotland' or the unmistakable sound of a Celtic reel, we are sure you will love Night of the Celts.
Rockshop Bandquest is a performance platform for the next generation of contemporary musicians, powered throughout Aotearoa by NZ Rockshop.
Young musicians have the chance to step out and perform in a supportive and encouraging competition format, with a focus on education, inspiration and entertainment.
GENERAL ADMISSION - seats are not allocated.
Rockshop Bandquest is a performance platform for New Zealand school bands, up to year 8.
Troy Kingi‘s fifth instalment 'Black Sea Golden Ladder’, in his 10 10 10 Series (10 albums in 10 years in 10 genres) was released in June 2021.
A collaboration with award winning artist and producer Delaney Davidson, this album was written and recorded as part of the Matairangi Mahi Toi Artist Residency in Wellington – a partnership between the Governor General and Massey University that was established in 2016 to encourage and promote the development of Māori and Pasifika visual arts and creative practices.
Troy Kingi and Delaney Davidson will take to the road, playing the album live, in shows across the country.
Louis Baker is hitting the road for four shows this July to celebrate the release of his just released EP ‘Love Levitates’, which has been described as "a timeless, transcendent album". (Happy Mag)
Louis will be touring with a full band and promises to take audiences on a journey of music and soul throughout the evening. “I’m very excited to take this record on the road with my band. Can’t wait to sing together, groove together, get deep on songs from my previous records and celebrate by sharing the new songs from EP, Love Levitates,” he says.
Doors open 7:30pm
Support Act: Arjuna Oakes 8pm
Nadia Reid is praised the world over for her intimate, complex songwriting. She is described by The Guardian as 'an understated, wise guide through uncertain territory', while her lyrics are called 'allegorical... brutally honest' by The Revue. What brings Reid's lyrics to life is her unique voice and accompanying soundscapes that seem to at once evoke the rugged beaches and mountains of Aotearoa, the Port Chalmers harbour of her home, and the roaming, open territory of the road.
In March of 2020, Reid released her third full-length album 'Out of My Province' via her own label Slow Time Records in New Zealand and Spacebomb for the rest of the world. Performing a handful of release shows just prior to the March lockdown meant there was a brief moment to celebrate the release. The Line of Best Fit declared it Reid's "most polished album to date" with Uncut calling it "her best album yet", awarding it 8/10. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, Reid and her band headed into a Dunedin recording studio at Chicks Hotel in early 2021 to begin work on album four. Their May opera house and theatre tour will showcase Nadia's exceptional body of musical works, as well as have a sneak preview of some of her new creations before signing off to work on finishing her fourth studio album due late 2022.
Opening act, Anthonie Tonnon
Nelson City Brass presents Showtime - Hits of the Stage and Screen
Fresh from winning the NZ national B grade championship, Nelson's city band, who have now been promoted to the A Grade, will present an evening of Hits from many stage and screen shows. You will hear music from Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Phantom of the Opera, and Disney Tunes.
The guest artist is NZ virtuoso cornet player John Lewis. John comes from Dunedin and is a multiple NZ Champion Cornet soloist as well as Australian Champion. John is the Principal Cornet player of the National Band on NZ, conducted by Nelson City Brass's musical director Nigel Weeks, when they were placed second at the World Brass Band Championship.
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand's most inventive and theatrical chamber orchestra, Blackbird Ensemble, presents an awe-inspiring homage to the inimitable Icelandic pop artist, Björk.
Björk: All is Full of Love is an audio feast of Björk's finest songs across the decades, reimagining her much-loved classic albums from Debut through to Medulla and Utopia.
Taking to the stage with signature flair, Blackbird Ensemble showcases a fine cast of vocal talent and extraordinary visual design to evoke the themes that provide so much inspiration to Björk herself.
The line-up features the talent of singer-songwriter Anna Coddington, the psychedelic soul of Mara TK, andthe dream-pop of Priya Sami, accompanied by strings, brass, woodwind, keys and percussion, with custom arrangements by Silver Scroll-winning composer and director Claire Cowan.
"This show is absolutely mesmerising." ANIKA MOA
"The bijou spectacle of Blackbird Ensemble is something to hear and behold ... with frisky fiddles and punchy saxes ... don't miss out on the magic." NZ HERALD
"Alternative, theatrical, impressive, emotional, memorable." OTAGO DAILY TIMES
Claire Cowan - Best Original Music in a Series for Hillary
2017 APRA Silver Scroll Award
Claire Cowan - Outstanding potential as a film and TV composer
2017 APRA Professional Development Award
Rockshop Bandquest is a performance platform for New Zealand school bands, up to year 8.
Please note: All seating in the stalls is General Admittance; Dress Circle seats are allocated.
